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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Religion ups the ante

No turning back... (Public Domain)

Whether it’s saying no to immoral-sounding requests, or saying yes to just-plain adventurous ones, religion has a tendency to up the ante.

A religious person might shun drinking and gambling due to moral considerations, rather than to health or financial ones.

However, “when it comes to risk with no moral connotations,” religious people are often the first to take the leap. They tend to feel “safe and protected,” and are therefore willing to face down dangers.

Rachel E. Gross of Slate
explains that those who view God as “a source of divine protection” (as opposed to a source of “fire and brimstone”) feel the most secure. These are the folks who just might take up skydiving.

After all, if the parachute doesn’t open, Heaven's just a cloud or two away...